Tank Cleaning by External Vibration for Obstructed Interiors
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional tank cleaning methods, particularly in large tanks like those in aircraft, fail to effectively reach and clean areas obstructed by components, leading to incomplete waste removal and potential contamination, with rinse nozzles requiring precise assembly and being prone to blockage.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning arrangement using an unbalanced mass device mounted externally to the tank, causing vibration and sloshing of contents to ensure thorough cleaning without the need for internal rinse nozzles, utilizing a rotating ball or electric motor around the tank's circumference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a spinning rinse head with multiple nozzles is used to spray cleaning fluid around the tank interior, then fluid coverage is maximised through momentum-driven rotation, but areas obstructed by tank components and fittings remain unreachable, resulting in incomplete cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a vibrating element that generates vibrations transmitted through the cleaning fluid to agitate and dislodge waste material from obstructed and hard-to-reach areas of the tank interior. This vibration mechanism complements the spray action, enabling effective cleaning of areas that cannot be directly reached by the spinning rinse head nozzles.
2Reliability
If the rinse device is positioned as high as possible in or on the tank to achieve best cleaning coverage, then precision and complexity of assembly increase, and the device becomes more prone to blockage
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning device is divided into separate functional components: a housing containing the fluid delivery system, a vibrating element for agitation, and a mounting mechanism. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and simplifies assembly, reducing the precision requirements while maintaining effective cleaning coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The vibrating element generates self-agitating motion that helps prevent clogging of the nozzle openings by dislodging accumulated waste material. The system essentially cleans itself during operation, reducing maintenance requirements and improving reliability without requiring complex anti-clogging mechanisms.
3Reliability
If pressurised fluid is sprayed to clean the tank interior, then waste material can be removed from accessible areas, but waste remains in areas where fluid does not reach, causing contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The vibrating element transmits mechanical vibrations through the cleaning fluid, creating agitation and turbulence that reaches obstructed areas inaccessible to direct spray. This vibration-induced fluid motion dislodges and removes waste material from hidden corners and surfaces, preventing contamination while working synergistically with the pressurized spray system.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Provides thorough cleaning of the entire tank interior with reduced water and detergent use, overcoming obstructions and ensuring complete waste removal without structural modifications.
Implementation Method 1
a device configured to be mounted to the tank, to create an unbalanced mass acting on the tank to cause vibration of the tank
Implementation Method 2
the ball configured to rotate around the trace to cause vibration of the tank
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5A~5B
AI summary
A cleaning arrangement for cleaning an interior volume of a tank, the cleaning arrangement comprising an unbalanced mass device (300, 400) configured to be mounted to the tank, in use, to create an unbalanced mass acting on the tank to cause vibration of the tank.